


Nyx's Personal Plot Bunny Bin

by EtherealNyx



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Oneshot collection, Original Character(s), Romance, content warnings will be given!, there's a lot of variety here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-13
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 09:54:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26970064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtherealNyx/pseuds/EtherealNyx
Summary: This is where I put all my fic snippets and written out concepts until I either scrap them entirely or post them in full. Enjoy![Mostly OC content; you have been warned.]
Kudos: 2





	1. Empress AU Part 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheRoboticScientist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheRoboticScientist/gifts).



> gifting this collection to my gf bc like half of the OCs are hers and also she's cute hi rival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Welcome to this fic!
> 
> Some of these stories might be rewritten and posted one day. Some might not. I have literally no idea, but thank you for reading.
> 
> CW: the AU is based around historical (fictional) empires, but they are not meant to represent the modern imperial system. This is not a work condoning modern imperialism and has no connection to it. This is simply like European fantasy set in Japan basically.

There once was an empire with a monster unmistakably at the helm. To her remaining subjects, she was a gift from the gods, destined to save them from the treachery of others. To those others, she was a demon, destined to bite off their heads. Her name was a simple one - Otoro.

Back in those days, conspirators dwindled away until there were hardly any left. It was said that she could see the sins in people’s hearts, and that a truly blackened soul would end up as her dinner. No one knew how to combat her. In the end, not many dared. Her influence rolled across the land, slowly but surely, until she was satisfied. Though she could have taken the whole of the country under her grasp, the empress was far more clever than outsiders gave her credit for. To accomplish such a feat, she’d have to compel another empress to give up her lands by force. Doing such a brutal thing to a dear friend of hers did not sit well with her. Therefore, Otoro took the east and Obake took the west. More or less, anyway.

Once these monsters settled down, everything was fine. That is, everything remained fine until Otoro began to feel what many assumed she couldn’t. 

The monster empress began to long for a wife.

* * *

  
  


“Chiyoko. Chiyoko, wake up!” Being nudged awake by someone who wasn’t there would have frightened anyone else, but Chiyoko was used to it. Incidents like this were why she was being considered as an ichiko - a ‘shaman child’, though she hadn’t been a child for years now. Where there was shadow, there was Chiyoko. Or was it the other way around…?

No matter. She was up, and not a moment too soon. One of the miko stumbled into her quarters, face alight with excitement. Chiyoko’s stomach twisted at the sight. A face like that was  _ never _ a good sign.

“Chiyoko-sama!” The young girl flapped her hands. “You need to come see this! Get changed and hurry! The elders want you!” Normally, being wanted by the elders didn’t count as a good thing. Why this miko thought so eluded her. Regardless, she did as instructed; Chiyoko had no desire to anger them.

As the two of them ventured into town, it became apparent that someone was kicking off a fuss. “First, she takes our people for her supper. Now she wants our women for wedding? Why are we letting her get away with this?!?” One of the men yelled, all red-faced.

Another miko, this one with a stoic expression, shook her head. “Because she is the empress.” She said patiently. “Besides, her majesty isn’t asking for the sake of marriage. She’s in want of an advisor. Did you even read her notice?”

“Huh?!? I can’t read!”

“A-Advisor?” Chiyoko inserted herself into the conversation before the man could blow up again. “What is g-going on?” Talk of the empress’ latest exploits never failed to be intriguing.

“Ah, Chiyoko-sama. Come hither and see for yourself.” Like a parting sea, the crowd moved aside for her sake. She’d never understand their devotion, but she took advantage, if only to see what they were all so invested in.

While she slept, a notice had gone up. It was one of the empress’ more simple edicts, but the mere sight of it made her queasy. She had seen that notice before. Not in real life, not in her dreams, but in a vision. She had seen Empress Otoro writing every single one until the woman began to bleed from the effort. Here it was, the notice with bloodstains, the notice meant for her.

**_I require every village to send their most capable woman._** Chiyoko mouthed the words. **_The decisions an empress must make are fraught with difficulties. An advisor I can trust would lighten my load considerably. Out of my empire’s most competent women, I will select one._** There was no signature. Empress Otoro did not need one. The bloodstains almost spoke for themselves.

Once she finished reading, she understood the man’s qualms completely.  _ She… only wants women?  _ There could be merit to the marriage idea after all. Though Otoro murdering the former emperor happened long before her village ever fell under her rule, she knew exactly how it happened; Chiyoko had seen the brutality of it only once, but once had been enough. Matricide never looked pretty. And yet, somehow, Otoro made it look animalistically just. The takeaway was that everyone knew their empress held no love for men beyond the platonic kind. Perhaps she’d wed her advisor. That wedding would be a sight to see. 

“Well!” Chiyoko turned back to the crowd. “Who is it that we’re sending? I’ll pray for their safe passage.”

The miko that escorted her to the notice couldn’t contain her confusion. “Isn’t it obvious, Chiyoko-sama? You’re our most capable woman! Of course we’ll be sending you! That’s what the elders fetched you for!” She spoke like it was meant to be crystal clear, but those words sent her reeling.

“Y-You must be joking!” She pleaded more than said. “I can’t s-see her majesty!”  _ I’m barely able to get up in the morning! No, no, no! _

“But, if Chiyoko-sama doesn’t do it,” the man from before simpered with a sick smile, “who will?”

They didn’t understand. How could they? They were all normal people with varying levels of connection to the gods. Out of all of them, she was the only one who hunched over with visions of strangers. She knew the cruel smile of the many-eyed empress, the laugh of the lord who flew on the wind, even the taste of a liquor that would delight an emotionless prince. But none of them lingered on her mind like the snake who sat in her special throne. If their fates became entangled, who knew what else she’d see?

“I-I can’t…”

“You must!”

She continued to protest, but her voice eventually died. It was decided. She would compete with the empire’s most competent women for the advisor position. She’d stand alongside those women, and she’d happily fail.

Anything was better than getting the empress involved with her cursed existence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey if you wanna encourage me to actually write these as fics please do so at @etherealnyx 
> 
> thanks!


	2. Empress AU Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posting this as well it's a continuation of the other one
> 
> again not meant to be condoning modern day imperialism at all and isn't a fic about the empire during WW2 it is quite literally just about it in some hypothetical European medieval style fantasy setting. I think the closest era to it might be Heian??? 
> 
> but uh yeah enjoy

After the monstrous empress of the east decided on how best to secure a wife she’d be able to cherish and trust above all others, the rest went swiftly. When she laid eyes on the woman who she would marry, Otoro immediately let go of her ruse and declared rather boldly that said woman was to be her bride.

… Just kidding. If only life was that simple. But this was no fairy tale, and Otoro was no fool. Everyone, even the highest members of her court and other royalty throughout the country, assumed she did not actually intend to gain an advisor with her little contest. She didn’t bother correcting them. In fact, she preferred it that way.

Her reasoning was, in her eyes, extremely practical. She needed an advisor and wanted a wife. Why not do what a certain lord would be appalled by? 

Why in the world would she pass up the chance to kill two birds with one stone?

In the end, while everyone suspected a ruse, no one took the time to realize exactly what her real life was. Each and every goshoguruma headed off to collect a capable woman without incident.

And so, the story of the capable woman who’d advise the empress continued.

* * *

  
Chiyoko had never seen wheeled transport before, though she had heard rumors. Apparently, if Empress Otoro ever got tired, she’d retreat into one and let it carry her to her destination while she conserved her strength. The mere idea of their empress ever suffering from overexertion seemed absurd to her, but now the logistics made sense to her. An oxen-drawn cart would work much better to help cart around all that extra tail bulk.

Now, this goshoguruma would be carrying her all the way to the empress’ side.

“Are you ready to go, Himura-san?” The driver of the cart looked very kindly. She supposed anyone the empress trusted to transport her future advisor - not that she’d be the one! - had to be kind. 

“I-I think so…” She longed to say something more confident, but her throat felt ready to close up entirely. It was a miracle that she managed to say those three words to begin with.

“Very good.” He helped her into the cart’s interior with ease, smiling softly as he did so. What a lovely soul. She hoped to make the return trip with him if possible, though she knew there was a strong chance she’d be saddled with someone else. That was how things went sometimes.

Before he could close the door, one of the elders stepped forward. “Remember, Chiyoko. You’re a clever girl. That’ll help you as you face the challenges ahead. Try your best. A woman like you is sure to make our village proud.”

_ Why would you tell me that?  _ She lamented as she found herself shut off from the outside world.  _ I don’t  _ want  _ to try my best… I just want to stay home. _

The cart began to lurch forward. Chiyoko closed her eyes. It was bound to be a long, long trip.

* * *

  
  


While she expected a long trip, it taking almost 6 days came as a surprise. Luckily, between herself and the driver, they had enough food to last them both. However, she spent most of the journey sleeping; though her body got plenty of rest, her mind did not.

Near the end of the trip, a vision came to her. A part of her was glad that not a bit of it included the snake empress. The rest was more than a little horrified. Every vision cast her as a silent observer, leaving her unable to interfere. This held true. Though she wanted to, she couldn’t warn the poor singing hunter that she was in the radius of one of Empress Obake’s roaming eyes. _ You need to be careful! It might see you, and then what will you do?  _ The premonition faded before the end result could make itself apparent to her, but she had a feeling how that vision would come to a close. Poor, poor hunter.

The driver found her sitting there trembling, but didn’t ask any questions. “We’ve arrived, Himura-san.” He extended a hand to her. Touched by his seemingly never-ending graciousness, she happily let him help her out of the goshoguruma. 

He didn’t need to say where they were. Chiyoko had never seen the Imperial Palace, not ever in her life, but wealth was one of those things that she found to be instantly recognizable. The lavish grounds they were standing on made it obvious who was the person in power of this estate. “W-Wow…” She murmured, awed. After all this was over, she was certain that she’d never see such a beautiful place in person ever again. It made sense to cherish her surroundings while she still could.

“We’ll be relieving you of your duties now, Yoshino-san.” A soldier spoke suddenly, interrupting her train of thought and startling her quite badly; she hadn’t noticed their approach. 

“Is th-that your name? Yoshino-san?” Chiyoko turned to the driver. “Thank y-you for transporting me here.”

He smiled once more. “It was my honor, Himura-san. Good luck.”

As the soldier ushered her away, she wondered why everyone kept saying that to her. Couldn’t they see that she wanted to fail? Oh well. She was here now, and it wouldn’t pay to be impolite. 

Their little walk did not take too long, thankfully. Chiyoko wasn’t used to walking long distances, and the grounds appeared to be awfully big. “I’m taking you to where the other women are waiting for her majesty.” Her escort said out of the blue. “Do try to be on your best behavior.”

  
  
“Y-Yes! Of c-c-course!” She blurted out, flushing from embarrassment soon after. Though she desperately wanted to ask for their name, the humiliation she felt robbed her of the ability to speak. Chiyoko remained silent, even as they entered the palace proper and headed down a hallway containing decorations worth more than her life. She made eye contact with a painting of a snake engulfed by shadow on the wall, but did her best not to shudder. She might have even managed to do so. 

“Here you are. Go stand in the line. Her majesty will be arriving shortly.” By line, they meant a row of women just past the door they led her to, most of which were dressed in fancy clothing. She slipped into the nearest gap as prompted, though she couldn’t help her sudden intense feelings of inadequacy. Even the women in her social class looked lovely.

_ It doesn’t matter. You’re not supposed to be picked anyway.  _ Chiyoko reminded herself. These women weren’t her competition. They were her ticket out of here. She’d hope to all hope that one of them would captivate the empress enough to be chosen right here and now so that her suffering wouldn’t be prolonged.

“Why were you so late?” The woman at her right whispered. She didn’t seem malicious, but the glint in her eyes gave her pause nonetheless. 

Chiyoko decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. It helped to look at a fellow person and not at the empty throne before them. “Ah, um, my v-village is-”

“Her majesty has arrived! Make way!”

  
  
While she didn’t know who was speaking, the person sliding past her was unmistakable. She’d recognize her anyway, in person or in dreams. Out of everyone she had met so far, this woman in particular had all of their presence and then some.

Empress Otoro had arrived indeed.

“Thisss issss quite the turnout.” Listening to her hiss in person had a much stronger effect on her than Chiyoko presumed it would. The voice addressing them all was deep and authoritative - perfect for an empress. “I’m impressed by how prompt everyone hassss been.”

The woman at her right sent Chiyoko a pointed glance. Chiyoko did her best to ignore her. The empress was speaking after all.

With a fluid motion, their ruler seated herself in her throne, letting the long stretch of tail rest on the floor. Her gaze was too striking, too alien, too intense. It was akin to being stared down by a god. “I tire of spectacle easily, so this part will be brief. Approach me and state your name.”

Without pause, the selection process began. One by one, all of the women prostrated herself before the throne and introduced herself. Some wept. Others flattered. When her turn came, she did her best not to throw up. Not daring to look at her, Chiyoko pressed her forehead to the floor. It was colder than anything she had stood on before.

“Your name?” The empress rumbled from above.

  
  
“H-Himura Chiyoko, your majesty. I’m honored t-to be in y-your presence.” She said sincerely. Though the other woman troubled her greatly to be around, she could not bring herself to lie or - gods forbid -  _ insult  _ Empress Otoro. If she was to be rejected, it’d be because of her own undeniable faults.

“Why, thank you.” The empress replied, sounding incredibly bored with the entire affair. “Next!”

Chiyoko rose so fast that she tripped on the ground. She felt silly about it, but accepted it too. She’d just bash her face on the floor, cry, and move on. It’d be a nonissue, a triviality.

Unfortunately, the empress did not allow that to happen.

“Be careful. It does no one good to be clumsy.” She spoke casually as she put her back on her feet. “Now, you there, did you not hear me? Come forward. It’s your turn.”

“Th-Thank you, your majesty!” Chiyoko cried out before retreating back to her spot in the line. The woman on her left stared at her with something that seemed too much like envy for her comfort. She wanted to tell her not to bother feeling that way, but it’d probably be no use.

No one there would be able to understand that being held in the coils of the empress’ tail felt exactly like an imminent death sentence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyo once again feel free to talk to me about these scraps at @etherealnyx I am weeping over my inability to finish all of these in a coherent way


	3. Crime AU: Otoro and Chiyoko

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear this plot bunny bin isn't just about these two lmao
> 
> anyway I have a crime AU I guess it's actually a heist AU though when it comes to its main story but Otoro isn't involved in that and neither is Chiyoko
> 
> CW for attempted murder and actual physical assault though the assault does not happen between the two gaydies

Getting rejected during yet another job application wasn’t how Chiyoko intended to spend her night, but she didn’t really have a choice in the matter. Her current goals involved finding a decent profession in this city without getting involved in what her grandmother used to call ‘shady business’, hunkering down in her apartment for the rest of her life, and dying there. She knew her aspirations were morbid and perhaps even incredibly antisocial, but what else was she meant to look forward to? More hallucinations? Endless pining after women who wouldn’t consider her attractive in a single lifetime? Honestly, she needed a break and soon.

Her reflection in a nearby store window caught her eye. She looked almost ghostly under the streetlight, as though she was a sad spirit that lost her way to the afterlife.  _ It’s okay.  _ She thought unconvincingly, worrying away at her lip.  _ You’d do horrible in retail anyway… And what sort of job refuses to hire you over being willing to give cash to robbers who have you at gunpoint? You’re better off without taking that silly position!  _ Ignoring the grumbles of her stomach proved to be more difficult though. Chiyoko could do without food for a few days, but what would happen afterwards? She didn’t just need a break. She needed a job  _ now. _

“Mmm…” She hugged herself - a nervous habit - and kept walking. Like always, she couldn’t shake the persistent feeling of being followed. For as far back as she could remember, Chiyoko always felt the pressure of constant surveillance. Her only evidence of this were the shadows that constantly hounded her, but no one else seemed to notice them. Add in how people ignored their whispers, and it made sense how isolated she felt from the rest of the world. Only the shadows wanted anything to do with her. Only them, not that said wants boded well for her.

Chiyoko turned her head to look at the shadow following her at a distance. It looked more realistic than the others, resembling a man in a far more superior fashion. Any other day, and she would have been scared, but she didn’t have the energy. She just wanted to go home. Besides, the shadows couldn’t touch her anyway. They were real, but not in that way at least. The only harm they could inflict on her was purely emotional.

Her walk stretched on and on. As she went, the shadow drew closer, but she didn’t feel any fear. What could it do that the interviewer didn’t already manage? A crushed spirit couldn’t be crushed further. She didn’t have to worry at-

  
  
“DUCK, GIRL!” 

Surviving in a city like this one took many forms, but she always favored the path of least resistance. If someone told her to do something, she did it. Without question.

Himura Chiyoko ducked under the swing of a bat just in time to avoid the kiss of a sharp knife.

Her body, prone on the ground, seized up with fear, but she forced herself to look. That crunch, presumably of the bat hitting the man’s face, would continue to echo for years to come. The least she could do was look at her savior.

Immediately after looking, Chiyoko concluded it’d be better for her heart and wellbeing in the long run to never look at pretty women again.  _ It should be outlawed for ladies to be all leg!  _ came her first flustered thought.  _ And especially for them to wear such tight jeans! How am I supposed to cope? _

Oblivious to her panic, the stranger continued to bludgeon the man, his blood splattering on her exposed stomach and clothes. He let out a weak groan, but she didn’t seem to care. “Disgusting pig.” She spat at his face. “You must be the one killing all those women lately.”

Her stomach dropped as she heard the stranger’s words.  _ He… was going to kill me?  _ Sure enough, he had a knife in his hand, but  _ kill  _ her?  _ I… I would have died?  _

Through her tears, Chiyoko saw the stranger turn to look at her. Though her expression was covered up by her admittedly unnerving face mask, she gave off an air of genuine sympathy.

  
  


“You should get out of here.” The lady grumbled, sounding unexpectedly more rough and deep than she pictured. “I don’t want you getting caught up in this mess, girl. Go home.”

“B-But…” Chiyoko’s lip quivered. Shouldn’t she be doing something to help? What if this lady got arrested just for defending her? Sure, the stranger clearly intended to murder her attacker, but would it be right to simply walk off and leave her to it?

Without pausing, the stranger stepped right on the man’s head, pinning it to the ground. “You’ve earned a nice nap. S’not every day someone tries to shank you. Just go home.” She encouraged, waving her off. “I’ll take care of him for you.”

No one had ever offered to take care of someone for her before. It was… mildly concerning, but Chiyoko felt grateful nonetheless. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought her savior was a god. 

Just to be careful, she bowed her head, letting it touch the ground. “Your intervention means a lot to me, kami-sama.” Chiyoko confessed, hoping her voice wasn’t shaking too much. “Th-Thank you.”

She hurried off before anything else could happen; unsurprisingly, she was quite done with any more surprises for the night.

* * *

One long night of getting chased through her dreams by a man with a knife later, Chiyoko decided that being newly traumatized would  _ not  _ stop her from getting a job. Dizziness from lack of eating wouldn’t deter her either! Surely, there was  _ something  _ she qualified for. She refused to believe that her failed attempts at completing college ruined her chance at potential work opportunities. 

Unfortunately, she couldn’t exactly put ‘no criminal activity please’ in websites’ search engines, but scouring online positions was her best shot. A long commute didn’t matter anymore; if she got the money to survive, worrying about the rest could come later.

Just as she thought she’d have to call it a day and resign herself to scarfing down the last of her cold soup for lunch, one final job offer caught her eye.

**_Shrine Maiden Position Available!_ **

_ A shrine?  _ She leaned back in her chair, contemplative. Her grandmother would surely approve of that. A lot of her memories involved the old lady nagging her over her supposed spiritual gifts.  _ But will I do well there? Or will I only bring them misfortune? _

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she didn’t have the luxury of choosing. Desperate to her core, Chiyoko began the tedious process of forwarding her pitiful resume.  _ Who knows? Maybe this’ll be an exciting chapter in my life… _

She had no clue how correct she’d end up being.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for context Chiyoko just almost always ends up calling Otoro kami-sama it's kinda funny
> 
> anyway uhh yeah say hi at @etherealnyx let's vibe


	4. Crime AU: Haruna and Obake

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posting these like mad I know I'm forgetting some more scraps tho
> 
> anyway CW for actual murder but again not between the gaydies I do not do bury the gays tropes around here
> 
> can these OCs get morals lmao

If she were ever to be asked in a court of law about her motives, Haruna would have lied. She already had her plea all planned out in her head, designed to make her look as sympathetic as possible. “I was desperate.” She’d say. “I didn’t  _ mean  _ to kill ‘im, honest, but I was  _ so  _ desperate…” They’d hopefully eat it up. If not, well, she’d do just about anything to get a shorter sentence.

But, in all honesty, she didn’t anticipate ever being questioned about the murder. It wasn’t the sort of high profile case people would care about. Truth be told, in a city like this, almost anyone could get away with that kind of crime. So long as no one cared who you were, no one cared if you died.

Considering exactly who her victim of choice was, she fully believed that rule would still apply.

Haruna wasn’t some serial killer. She didn’t exactly make it a point of practice to harm people. In fact, this was the first person she had ever actually planned to hurt with such finality. Maybe it’d get spun as her defending herself from a vicious loan shark. That interpretation would be funny, even though it’d also be completely wrong. Getting tired of being exploited was a very human thing to feel. The crime part only happened because she had the resolve to turn her emotions into a reality.

She picked out a spot easily - the decrepit train station she liked to go to at night would work perfectly. No cameras, no witnesses, no trouble at all. Getting him to meet her there was a piece of cake too. She wasn’t stupid enough to send him a text; instead, she went and asked in person.

After that, it was a bit of a waiting game. Would he show? Would he bring friends? Both questions were equally important to her. Fighting for her life over a stupid, lowly loan shark didn’t appeal to her one bit. If push came to shove, she’d use her gun to take care of the rest. It wasn’t ideal, but she had options. Then again, when was murder ever ideal? In an ideal world, she wouldn’t feel the need to kill this man. They would have never met over money in the first place. 

_ Funny how that works. One minute, you’re on top of the fucking world. The next, you’re getting ready to stab a guy to death.  _ Haruna thought as she dragged the man’s struggling body further in.  _ How the mighty have fallen.  _

Murder was messy, she found. She expected a bit of blood splatter, not the huge puddle she accidentally created. “Fuck… I’ll have to get rid of these clothes…” The thought brought an angry grimace to her face. Outfits were expensive! She could barely afford to eat these days, much less splurge! Leave it to a loan shark to give her another reason to loathe his guts, even though he was already dead.

“Now, how to dispose of you?” Haruna knelt down, talking to the body. “Huh? What’s that? On the train tracks? That’s the smartest idea you’ve ever had, you little shit.”

Part of why she chose this train station in particular was because there’d be no witnesses. It wasn’t a stop people came through regularly, not if they could help it. It looked like the perfect place to get mugged, and most in the city at least put up a  _ bit  _ of a fight when it came to that. So why did she think she heard footsteps?

“Hello? Is anyone there? I heard mumbling.” The most prim voice she had ever heard suddenly said, just a few feet behind her. Haruna stiffened. Under any other circumstance, it’d be nice, even relaxing, to hear such a lovely voice. 

Fearing the worst in this circumstance, she slowly turned around. “Uh… Yeah.” Haruna said, not even bothering to try and shift the corpse. What good would it do if she was actually caught in the act right now?

“Oh, that’s unusual. I never hear people at this station.” The woman talking to her stepped further into the light. Only when she did so did Haruna realize that she was pretty much in the clear. The service dog idly sniffing at a smear of blood was one thing. The way the lady didn’t seem to know where to look was another thing entirely. Her only witness was  _ blind. _

“Me neither. Hey, be careful where you step. Some weirdo pissed near where you’re standing.” If she let a blind woman step unawares into her crime scene, she’d never be able to forgive herself. 

The stranger wrinkled her nose. Judging by appearance alone, she was exactly the sort of prissy woman who’d hate the thought of being reminded of urination. “Is that so? Can you direct me?” 

“Just shuffle to the right a bit - yeah, like that. Then step forward. There you go.” Haruna said, watching her sidestep the blood with a growing sense of relief. She couldn’t believe her luck.

“You’re very kind. If we ever meet again, I’ll thank you. Goodbye now.” A light smile sprung to the woman’s face before she turned to leave. It looked incredibly natural. She’d probably end up being the sort of old lady with deep smile lines.

As soon as that thought crossed her mind, Haruna shook her head to clear it. She had to focus. Luck, just like any other nonrenewable resource, ran out eventually. The next person to come through would no doubt be able to tell exactly what she was doing. 

Stuffing a corpse in a trash can was never ideal, no matter what anyone else told you. Haruna did it hastily, shoving the man in head first and hoping for the best. She hopped over the sanguine pools as she left, feeling a little bit like a child and a lot like someone who got away with murder.

That night, Haruna let herself indulge in a warm shower. There were still things she needed to do, like dispose of her clothes, but she felt almost free. Sure, she wouldn’t be able to go back to that station anytime soon, but there were other stations and other trains. Now that she didn’t need to worry about paying her loans back, her remaining money could be funneled into keeping her family alive.  _ If only I could kill the hospital…  _ She thought darkly before laughing at herself. If only…

She crawled onto her mattress soon after and turned out the light. As she lay there in the dark and listened to the sounds of the city, the image of the woman and her dog rose up to meet her.  _ What happens if she somehow exposes me? Will I have to kill her too? How far is this gonna go?  _

Murdering some random lady didn’t sit well with her, but what else could she do? Going to prison would be a disaster. Who else would advocate for her family’s health? Who’d pay the bills? If push came to shove, her family would always come first. Hopefully, it’d never come to that. 

With that final horrid thought squared away, Haruna fell deep into an uneasy sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know what's so funny aha my writing twitter @etherealnyx is where I share more info about these characters and these stories so uh yeah


	5. Space AU Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh oh... aliens...
> 
> anyway this one actually has a plot I just dunno if I'll ever write it
> 
> cw for abduction I guess??? I mean it's aliens...

Throughout recorded history, humanity wondered what might lie in space. Were they alone? It didn’t seem likely, but then, why did no one ever visit? Why were there only rumors of the so-called alien, a thing unlike ourselves?

Some reasoned that other civilizations in the cosmos might not have gotten to their level. This was incorrect.

Others believed that they were indeed alone. To them, the universe was a silent, uncomfortably empty thing. They, too, were completely wrong.

The problem began with the erroneous idea that other civilizations might not have interest in Earth. They certainly did. It just wasn’t the sort of interest humanity understood.

Or perhaps the problem began with the equally erroneous idea that humanity only got off their blue little ball when they made it to the moon in their own little rocket ship. They weren’t the first humans to set foot on the moon. Nor were they the first humans to leave it. They just were the first humans who got to tell the tale.

Either way, space and all its wonders consumed their minds. They wrote stories, composed songs, made movies, and turned their eyes up to the cosmos. Ironically, the most obsessed barely ever made it up there. 

Making your way to the stars usually ended up being the result of a series of unfortunate events.

* * *

  
  


Seijo was worried about Amena. It was a simple fact. The sky looked blue, certain wools could trigger eczema flare ups, and Amena was acting strange enough to worry them.

If they had to be honest, Amena was strange in general. She had been their friend for almost a year now, and it’d be pretty stupid of them to not realize how weird she was, but it wasn’t really her fault. From the odd things she said, they could tell that she didn’t have an easy childhood. When they asked her why she stuffed her face every chance she got, her response was that her parents ate so much that she barely got to eat at all. The least they could do was feed her whenever she came by, even if she always looked like someone had dipped her in mud beforehand.

There were other things that were off about her too, now that they thought of it. She always seemed confused by the most minor of things, especially certain things she should have known by now. Despite her excitable nature, other people didn’t interest her in the slightest; she only hung around them, scorning everyone else. And there was the odd way Amena stared up at the sky when an airplane passed by, like the sound scared her to her core. But Seijo just figured it was some aspect of trauma she didn’t want to talk about yet. It was relatively easy to write off her quirks most of the time.

This was not one of those times.

Seijo stared at their friend, rubbing their fingers on their bathrobe to try and calm their nerves. “Amena…” They said slowly, like she didn’t already know. “You do know it’s past midnight, right? I was sleeping.”

“Yes, I am  _ well  _ aware that it’s 1:45 in the morning, Seijo!” She snapped back. They had half a mind to be offended. In fact, they probably would have been if not for the fact that she was tearing up. That was one thing they never got about her. Amena  _ never _ cried.

“... Is something wrong?” They watched her gaze unfocus and felt their worry spike. She only looked like that when she didn’t know what to say.

After what felt like an eternity, Amena blinked. “I’m going far, far away!” She said this in such a bright tone of voice that they almost didn’t understand a single word. “We’re probably never gonna see each other again! Hope that’s okay!”

“...  _ What?” _

“Yeah!” Her habit of randomly hugging them during conversations wasn’t usually a bother. Usually. “Sorry for the short notice, but it’s been nice! You’re a great friend, buddy-o!”

For one of the first times in a while, Seijo felt at a complete loss. “Wait a second. Where are you going though?” They sincerely doubted that she had the resources to move somewhere ‘far, far away’ to begin with. Had she gotten in trouble with some criminal group? Did yakuza even exist in Hakone? 

Amena instantly pulled away. “Ah, it’s too far!” She claimed, no longer looking at them. “Well! Bye!”   
  


Desperation made them grab her arm. “Wh-Why is this so urgent? It can’t b-be that far! We can still t-text or something, right?!?” Maybe they were being selfish. Maybe they weren’t. But the thought of losing her completely over something she didn’t seem willing to explain made them feel sick to their stomach.

Those wide eyes they had gotten so used to looking at every day only grew wider. “Nope. Not where I’m going. ‘M sorry, Seijo.” Amena did look genuinely apologetic, but what did that matter? If she was still going to randomly abandon them at almost 2 in the morning, weren’t they owed details? Couldn’t they get a shred of hope?   
  


“Please tell me!” They begged, clinging on tighter. “There’s o-options for you, I promise! I-I can help you with whatever th-this is about!”

She shook her head, shooting them down in the process. “You can’t, Seijo. You wouldn’t believe me if I told you anyway, so it’s for the best if I don’t. Now get off.”

Though Seijo didn’t know it at the time, they made a choice then that defined their entire future. Normally, they would have listened and gone back inside to sleep. Conflict made them anxious enough that they never usually asserted themselves. But Amena was more than some rude stranger. She always told them they had the right to speak their mind, even if she tended to say that through a mouthful of food. They hated the thought of her disappearing off into the darkness, never to be seen again.

“I won’t! Y-You’re my best friend, okay?!?” They glared at her for a heartbeat or two before letting their face soften. “S-So  _ please.  _ I’ll believe anything you have to tell me!”   
  


The sight of Amena looking stunned was instantly engraved into their mind. She shook her head, as if to clear it, and opened her candy-stained mouth. “Seijo, I-”

They often wondered what she would have said in return. She always said such strange things after all. But none of it seemed to matter then, not when they both began to float. 

“What the… What’s happening?!?” Seijo shrieked. They couldn’t help but fixate on how she didn’t look the least bit surprised. Why wasn’t she freaking out too?!? They were  _ floating!  _ Actually floating, like some sort of sci-fi movie!

Their best friend in the world took the time to let out a big sigh. “Well, Seijo,” Amena said, sounding more exhausted than they ever expected she would, “I think your species calls this an alien abduction.”

* * *

  
  


_ Planet Hopper Tip Number #532: When trying to get around fast, it’s certainly easy to go the extra mile and befriend an intergalactic criminal. The war variety is especially useful.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you think aliens are cool like me and want to read more about trans people in space uh say hi at @etherealnyx


	6. Space AU: Emi and Koishi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> time for MORE trans people in space!!! well. not really, they're still on Earth
> 
> tw for suicidal thoughts, alcohol, and suicidal ideation. nothing happens within the fic proper but it can be a little depressing. there IS love at first sight though. and an alien. woo!

Downing an entire bottle of whiskey by herself was the sort of angsty behavior she expected from a noir protagonist, but Emi supposed she was still full of surprises. It warmed her in a way the night just couldn’t match.  _ It’s like I swallowed the sun.  _ She thought before giggling at how silly that was. Alcohol and the sun both burned, but not in the same way. It made sense to her in the moment at least.

Out here in the field, there was the sky, the quickly restored quiet, and her. A more sober version of herself would have found it isolating, but staring into the void calmed her in her drunken state. Her eye strained to count the stars. She had heard once that some were dead, just that the Earth hadn’t quite caught up to knowing it. Though she knew it wouldn’t be possible, Emi hoped the same for herself - something more like a disappearing act than a death.

After 22 years of life where she’d contributed nothing to the world but a slew of broken hearts and bad decisions, she felt that sort of end to her story was deserved.

Maybe she’d throw herself into the nearby river. No one would recognize her then. Or she could remove her license plate and drive her merry little way off a cliff. Those felt appropriate; it’d be either by water or by fire. No one would guess, and even if they found her, no one would understand why. She’d just be another statistic, nothing grand about her at all. The very idea cheered her, illogical as it was. Emi took another swig.

_ I can make up a better one.  _ This occurred to her suddenly, but she knew her mind was right. One of her old girlfriends used to watch science fiction movies where astronauts froze in space. The scenes, so full of grief, fascinated her more than they probably should have.  _ It’d be nice to drift forever.  _ She mused.  _ Maybe people would feel shitty and name a constellation after me. Ooh, or a planet! Isn’t there a fucking… what is it… a diamond planet out there? That’d be cool, so long as I wasn’t around to see it happen. Planet Emi can dance through space  _ for  _ me. Hm, should I dance? _

Emi pushed herself to her feet. There in that field of isolation, she began to dance with only the stars as her witness.  _ This is great! One last nice thing before I kick the mother of all buckets!  _ “Woo!” She said aloud, more to hear her own voice than anything else. If tonight was her last night, she’d make it one where she danced until she passed out.

Honestly, she must have done so successfully. That was the only explanation for her turning suddenly, eye wide open, only to find another person standing in her path. “Um… Hi!” They said, seemingly unaware of things like personal space or how weird their headband, complete with those weird antennae, looked in the dark. 

Still, if she ignored all that, they were very pretty. If pretty people wanted to share a field with her, that wasn’t something she was going to complain about. “Heyyy.” She slurred in response, not really caring about how it made her sound. It was her last night, and she had earned a little lack of coherency. “You wanna dance with me~?” It wasn’t something she’d ask someone if she wasn’t drunk off her ass, but there she was, reaching out a hand to someone she had never seen before.

Though she could barely see, it looked like they blushed a little. “Oh! O-Okay…” Their hand felt cold, like frost on an astronaut’s face. Emi smiled and pulled them closer. She could handle a little cold. The whiskey did well enough at keeping her warm.

The rest of her dream passed by her smoothly. Her mind had the good grace to grant her a dance partner that quickly loosened up, matching her drunken rhythm with ease. “This is fun!” She laughed. “I’m Emi!”

“It is! Very fun!” They replied, equally bright. “I’m K-Koishi!” 

“Are you really? That’s a cute name. Koishi, Koishi, Koishi. Hey, you’re  _ really _ cute.” She spun them around, half wondering why she was still drunk in her sleep and half grateful her dream hadn’t entered nightmare territory yet. It was nice to dance with a stranger, no strings attached.

Koishi seemed to feel the same, if their darkening cheeks was anything to go by. “Th-Thank you, Emi… You’re really pretty too. Are you the pinnacle of beauty for your species?”

“Mmhm.” She said without any hesitation. Sure, she had downed an entire bottle of whiskey, but at least she was attractive. That was part of the problem. “You’re soooo nice though. Thanks, cutie!”

Rather than answer her, they pulled away. It looked enough like a retreat for her to stop swaying. “Did I say something bad?” Emi gawked at them, unsure of herself now. What did she say again? 

“No, it’s not that… I’m just thinking!” Koishi fidgeted. Their teeth looked strange under the moonlight. If she didn’t know any better, she’d say mandibles lurked behind their lips instead. _ Why  _ was she still drunk in her dreams?!?

Before she could give any serious thought to it, her dance partner approached her again. “I’ve decided! Um… I  _ will _ marry you! I’ve never seen a mating dance as intricately crafted as yours! Besides, we’re sure to have a strong brood… I can tell already just by looking at you! You’ll be an amazing wife!” 

What a dream! The notion that someone could want to ever marry her almost made her laugh, but the rest of her felt flattered. “Neat.” She said to her dream person, patting them on the head. “I’m gonna go wake up now. Bye bye.”

“Ah, yes! Please rest, my love! I’ll come get you after I prepare for our honeymoon, okay? Goodbye!” 

If anything else happened in her dreams after that, Emi had no clue. All she knew was that she woke up in her bed with a pounding headache and no idea how she got there. Now that she felt relatively sober, the idea of throwing herself into the river felt all too real. “Maybe another day.” She sighed to herself, already forgetting all about the person who danced with her in something far too close to a dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you want more spouse from space stuff we can chat about it on @etherealnyx my writing twitter 
> 
> if not then uh bye bye


	7. Pokemon AU: Chiyoko ft. Emi

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's ten days until my birthday and I'm mostly preoccupied with how weird life is so just. posting some stuff to distract myself from that
> 
> anyway y'all like pokemon? no? oops.

Channelers in general dealt with a lot of supernatural phenomena; it was part of the job description. Chiyoko liked to think that she was good at her job, despite its many challenges. Her days were spent consulting the grieving and hopeless while her nights involved dealing with the spirits who fed off of her clients’ problems. So long as she made people happy in the end, she didn’t mind the difficulties of persuading Shuppets to leave their victims or rehoming troublesome Polteageist. It was just a part of her life, just like how making sure her girlfriend’s Seviper had a sharpening stone had become routine.

But dealing with the afterlife so closely had its consequences.

“I’m b-being stalked…” She confessed to her friend, eyes trained firmly on her mug of Komala Coffee. 

“Stalked?!? Jeez, that’s scary! Sorry to hear that! What did our therapist say?” Emi wasn’t exactly an ideal companion for someone as introverted as herself, but Chiyoko cherished her company nonetheless. They had met in a therapist waiting room right before bonding over their significant others’ friendship. The rest was history. If she was going to confide in anyone (that wasn’t Otoro, of course), it’d be Emi.

“Well…” Chiyoko sighed, still struggling to look at her. “He said I-I should consider telling Otoro, but I don’t want to worry her… She has a b-big assignment with Devon right now, so…” 

Her friend lightly sighed. “I agree with the doc, but I get you. If I was being stalked, I wouldn’t want Koishi to get all stressed. They lose their head so easily! ‘Noooo, baby, don’t brawl with that person! They have a switchblade!’ They’re so silly, but I really do love them, you know. I’m sure you feel the same about your girl, even though she’s… Well, I think she’d be more equipped to deal with this than you are!” 

That was a polite way of saying that Otoro was intimidating at best and dangerous at worst. Chiyoko forgave her for those words, though she didn’t share the same view. To her, Otoro would always be the sweet lady who brought back her Chingling before awkwardly asking to see her again under the pretense of a Pokémon play date. “I get wh-what you’re saying, but I can’t agree. This isn’t the sort of problem she’d be comfortable dealing with.”   
  


“Why?”

  
  
“B-Because… My stalker i-is a spirit.”

* * *

  
  


_ Should you feel yourself attacked by a sudden chill, it is evidence of an approaching Gengar. There is no escaping it. Give up. _

  * _an initial Pokédex entry from the Alolan Rotomdex that ended up removed in the final edition_



* * *

  
  


Emi looked a little pale. “Damn, you have a Gengar tied to you? Those can be  _ real _ nasty. We saw them a lot in the battle circuits back in the day.” She never explained what she meant by ‘battle circuits’, and Chiyoko never pried, but vicious Pokémon always featured in her mentions of it. She surmised that they were probably illegal or at least contrary to the Gym Challenge system here in Galar.

“I’m too scared to risk my Chingling, but I don’t know how else to persuade it to leave me alone… Cleanse Tags don’t s-seem to work on it for some reason. Would you p-please help me by battling it?” Otoro’s Seviper didn’t like to battle, and her Chingling was too weak. Like it or not, but someone as seasoned as Emi was the best option here.

“Sure, if I get to catch it afterwards.” Her friend agreed easily. “I know some people who’d  _ love _ a Poison type.”

Though Chiyoko didn’t agree morally with the practice of trading, desperation coursed through her with a vengeance. “Thank you! C-Can I pay you back somehow?”

“Nah!” Emi beamed, only emphasizing her horrible scar. “I love any excuse to tussle with something strong! It’ll be out of your hair in no time. Promise!”

“Then…” She gnawed at her lip, still hesitant. “Can we m-meet tonight to handle it?”   
  


“Sure, sure! We can call it a girl’s night! Oh my gods, I’ve never had an actual girl’s night before! Damn, I need to rope Haruna into one some time! She’s dating Ob-”

“C-Cool…” Chiyoko said, accidentally cutting her off. So long as her situation would be resolved by Emi’s superior battling skills without getting Otoro involved, she didn’t mind the prospect of future girl’s nights.

* * *

  
  


Galarian nights weren’t nearly as cold as Sinnohese ones. At least, they weren’t  _ supposed  _ to be. Chiyoko hugged herself, trying to warm her body up and failing miserably.  _ So the Gengar’s here. It’s following me again.  _ She thought with a grim sense of satisfaction. If luck was on her side tonight, it’d soon be done with its nonsense.

She continued down the path, ignoring her dancing shadow. Any second now, Emi would arrive with her ‘super secret Pokémon’, as the other woman so helpfully put it. She had no idea what sort of Pokémon that might be, but she hoped they were strong. They’d have to be, or their preemptive strike would be ruined. Some Gengars got more violent if they felt like their prey was getting too uppity. Experiencing that firsthand wasn’t on her personal bucket list.

_ Where is Emi?  _ Chiyoko wondered. The cold kept seeping into her bones.  _ Wasn’t she supposed to be in the area already? Did she get lost? Should I go home? _ Her concerns were valid ones in her eyes; if she kept going with a Gengar leeching off of her body heat, she’d probably freeze. No, definitely. It’d be  _ awful. _

Channelers were intimate with the afterlife. She didn’t have a fear of passing on, per se, but she did worry about the people she’d leave behind. Knowing Otoro, she’d be devastated. Not in a crying way, but in a ‘time to fuck shit up’ way, not that she’d repeat that to her face. Woe to the Dusknoir and her fellow Channelers who’d have to deal with  _ that  _ hypothetical situation.

Just as she began to wonder who’d attend her funeral, a large shadow, larger than anything she had ever seen, fell over her. The Gengar behind her whimpered. She felt like doing the same.

Emi smiled down on her, like she wasn’t on top of a Hydreigon. “Hey, best friend! Ready to get this party started?”

… Perhaps she had made a mistake in confiding in her after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :> I have nothing to say about this or the following fics they're so out of context it's funny
> 
> anyway say hi at my writing twitter @etherealnyx


	8. Pokemon AU: Chiyoko and Otoro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact but this one is called 'how to meet your (future) wife' in my docs bc Chiyoko and Otoro are very gay
> 
> anyway uhhh yeah let's get into it

Otoro knew damn well that she didn’t meet her wife in the way most Sinnohese people did. For starters, they didn’t meet in Sinnoh, and their marriage wasn’t arranged. By then, she was tired of being set up by someone else. Once bitten, twice shy, or so the saying went. Hell, she didn’t even meet her wife in the same way her friends met _theirs._ Koishi often told a funny anecdote about Emi’s fascination with Buneary, and Obake just so happened to have a little sister who wanted to hold a baby Salandit, but their stories apparently couldn’t top hers. Much to her exasperation, she felt certain that she’d be reciting her tale for years to come.

It all started with a runaway Seviper.

* * *

  
  


“Seviper?!? Where the hell did you get off to?” She hissed, sounding more like a snake than the best Arbok impersonators. Pokémon and people stumbled out of her way, sensing that she’d be happy to whack them with her cane if they didn’t. If not that, then her bulk certainly deterred them, along with her pissed off tone. 

_ How the  _ fuck  _ does a garish Pokémon like him sneak off so easily?!?  _ Otoro fumed. “SEVIPER!!!” 

Despite how livid she was, she didn’t plan on punishing her poor partner. Seviper helped her with everything, from scaring off wannabe harassers to intimidating CEOs into spilling their secrets. But that didn’t mean she wouldn’t scold him a bit. He couldn’t go around fighting Zangoose or whatever he wanted to do without telling her first! … She was pretty sure the first thing was illegal anyway. Pokémon safety laws and all that.

Normally, she’d just recall the lazy brute, but he wasn’t in range. That meant she had to track him down herself. What a waste of a good afternoon.

Otoro continued stomping her way around the park, keeping an eye out for a telltale wave of a blade. All she kept seeing was couples and families, relaxing together with their Pokémon. One that stood out to her was a truly gargantuan baby that kept trying to crawl off the blanket, only deterred by the family’s watchful Stoutland. The sight made her heart ache. She’d love to have a family of her own one day, but that seemed like a pipe dream. All she had was herself and her-

“Seviper! The Fang Snake Pokémon! Otherwise known as Habunake in Kantonese! Its tail can be used to slash foes while dousing them in secreted poison at the same time!” 

She immediately snapped to attention. Wasn’t that a Rotom phone? Otoro harbored no love for those little devils normally, but if one was reciting information on a Pokémon that wasn’t even native to Galar, it had to be in the midst of scanning hers!

Sure enough, she soon spotted her little bastard. He was lounging on a blanket in the sun, happily letting some poor woman feed it treats while a Rotom phone circled the two of them.  _ What the hell… Since when is he that docile with strangers?  _ She couldn’t hear what the lady was saying in reply, but she headed over all the same. “Uh, excuse me? Hello?” She called. “Can I talk to you for a second?”

Seviper looked contrite right away, but Otoro didn’t pay him that much attention. The lady he was with tugged at her more. 

She looked soft for starters, and that wasn’t just because of the Chingling pin in her choppy hair. Her body looked soft too, all plump cheeks and rolls of fat. She dressed almost like a librarian - conservative blouse and all - but the look suited her. All she needed were some glasses to truly hammer the point home. In short, she looked far too cute to be around Otoro or any Pokémon Otoro called her own. 

“Um…” Oh Arceus. She even  _ sounded  _ cute. “Y-Yes? Is this your… your Pokémon?”

“Yes.” Otoro replied, relieved that she didn’t have to explain herself for too long. “Sorry about the trouble. He slithered off without giving me a single warning.”

“That’s okay. N-No trouble at all!” The other woman waved a hand. “Your Seviper is a sweetheart. I h-haven’t seen one in years, so it was a p-p-pleasant surprise.” Now that she spoke more, Otoro could pick up on a familiar accent. Unfortunately, she couldn’t place it. “Besides… Rotom doesn’t eat and Chingling was f-full, so I didn’t mind sh-sharing!”

_ Wait.  _ Otoro did a double take.  _ So that barrette is alive?!?  _ Just as she thought that, the Pokémon yawned. And here she assumed that this woman just liked accessorizing. Huh.

“You’re very sweet, ma’am. Thank you for looking out for him. I’m Otoro.” She offered her free hand for a handshake. Though she doubted she’d ever see this really, really cute woman again, it never hurt to be polite. First impressions were everything.

“Oh! Like I s-said, no worries!” A much softer hand grasped her own. “I’m Chiyoko, by the w-way…” 

Otoro smiled at her, for once having foregone her mask. “It’s nice to meet you. I should get going now though. Come on, Seviper, break’s over.” The snake predictably whined, but slithered back to her side, perfectly compliant beyond his token complaint.  _ Lazy bastard.  _ She thought fondly, hunching over to scratch his head.  _ I know, I know. I’d like to eat with her too, but we have work to do. _

“Good luck with what you’re d-doing!” Chiyoko waved, her own smile far more nervous than Otoro’s by a mile. “May Arceus b-bless you.”

It was such a sweet and specifically Sinnohese sentiment that Otoro instantly wanted to pry into her life. Where was she from - a big city or a small town? Did she always have a Chingling or did she grow up without a Pokémon? Was there a god in particular she followed beyond Arceus? But she didn’t have the time to indulge her curiosity. There was work to be done elsewhere. More interviews, more digging, more secrets and lies. Corruption wouldn’t wait around for her to get in gear.

“May Arceus bless you.” Otoro parroted back as she turned to go, completely unaware of the little hitchhiker in her hair. If she had noticed, it was entirely possible her wife and her wouldn’t be married today. Arceus truly worked in mysterious ways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please do not go without a mask in public spaces like Otoro, this is a PSA
> 
> we can chat about writing at my writing twitter @etherealnyx btw 
> 
> wee woo


	9. Summoner AU: Nobutoshi and Uwasa

“This is  _ garbage,  _ kid. Complete and utter trash. Do I think I pay you for this? Huh?” 

Uwasa knew better than to talk back to his boss, but the verbal onslaught still made his blood boil. Keeping his fire of a temper under control when the man before him was tossing gasoline right on it was a challenge, to say the least. “I know you don’t, Ito-san. I apologize. It’s all I could find by my deadline.”

The old geezer had the balls to roll his eyes. “I don’t want excuses. I want  _ results.  _ What kind of newspaper has no news? Keep this up and I’ll find someone else who knows how to get me what I want. Got that?”

_ You’re lucky I’m not punching your dumb face.  _ “Got it. I won’t let you down!” Uwasa simpered, excusing himself right after. This was not the sort of news he wanted to hear. 

Though his nickname - one that stuck - meant rumor, Uwasa only cared about the truth. He had gone into journalism in search of that truth, raring at the chance to make the world a little more informed. By now, his naivety was no more. What his boss didn’t seem to get was that the truth took a long time to find. Between articles that truly embodied his journalistic philosophy, he constantly had to churn out fluff pieces just to make ends meet. It was mind-numbing. But it was work. 

His stomach churned as a realization hit him square in the face.  _ He’s going to fire me if I don’t write something good.  _ In the moment, Uwasa had been livid at his tone. Now, he was potentially looking at his impending termination. _ What the hell am I supposed to do?  _ The sole lead he had was hesitant to say too much at once, and he only had the beginnings of that story. He needed something that was a hard thing to come by: a sensational truth.

“Fuck it. I’m going home.” He said aloud to himself, giving up on maintaining his composure. There was one avenue left for him, one last way to get information. He never expected he’d have to stoop this low, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

If Uwasa had to die to get his truth, at least his friends would try and arrange his funeral.

* * *

The alcohol was to blame. More specifically, Niku (holding the alcohol) was to blame. The three of them - him, Niku, and cheeky little Koishi - had gotten sloshed on a single bottle of vodka that fateful night. They collectively decided to go have some fun right away.

That was their first mistake.

Their second mistake was stumbling into the secondhand bookstore. He still felt surprised that the owner didn’t kick them out, but maybe he just sensed a sale when he saw one. “Looking for demon books?” The owner had said, like it was a natural thing to go to him for.

“You’ve got those?” Koishi suddenly looked pale. Well, paler than usual. “I thought that was illegal to sell.”

“It’s not illegal if you give one as a gift. If you want to tip me in exchange, that’s your choice. My wares are used, but they’re the best in the city.” 

At the time, the thought thrilled Uwasa. Holding a ‘demon book’ was a rare thing, only more common than summoning a demon yourself. He personally had only seen a demon once in the flesh, and she was only there for a moment. Still, the memory had been seared into his neurons. For that moment, a being he could never hope to understand from a reality he’d never get to see had been right in front of him, close enough to touch. Maybe… just maybe…

In a fit of impulse, he tipped the man and cradled the tome under his arm. “You’re crazy, bro.” Niku snorted as they walked home. “Those uh… those fucking video comps are  _ insane,  _ man. Those horned boys got the cheat codes to life or some shit.” 

“Yeah! You could  _ die.”  _ Koishi chimed in. Though their eyes were blown wide, they no longer looked drunk. 

“It’ll be fine.” He brushed his friends off, laughing. “What’s the worst they can do, huh? Steal my soul? Get real!” 

Of course, after a mighty hangover and looking up the risks, Uwasa treated the book like the bomb it was. Demons were more than just power hidden behind sinew and bone. They were  _ wrong.  _ Not in the moral sense, but in the sensible sense. They were a wrong thing that didn’t mesh properly with his world, and they knew exactly how to exploit that to break it as they pleased.

_ I won’t ever summon a demon. Not unless it’s the end of the world.  _ That was his resolution that day.

Now, only one year later, the end of the world,  _ his  _ stupid world, had finally come. Without his job, his entire life would fall apart. Getting back on his feet would be a nightmare, and that was being optimistic. Uwasa knew things could be worse. Far worse. He wouldn’t allow that to happen. After all, he had a demon book, a bunch of salt in the cupboards, candles, a lighter, and a very good knife.

The knife wasn’t for drawing blood. Surprisingly, the one he had decided on didn’t seem to be interested in that sort of thing. Uwasa only had it for insurance. He had no idea what to expect from the demon he would be dealing with, and  _ something _ to protect himself with was better than nothing.

As he lit the final candle, he took a deep breath. First impressions were important. Sure, he was armed, but being polite mattered with anyone, whether they be human or an eldritch entity from another plane. “Excuse me? Nobutoshi? Are you free?” 

The air before him warped. One second, nothing was there. The next, someone stood in that space, suddenly filling it. “I’m not,” the demon said, exposing a mouth full of shark-like teeth, “but I’ll find the time somehow. What is it you want?” 

All he could do for a moment was stare. Nobutoshi was… very short. The four arms were also pretty peculiar. But their face bothered him the most. He knew they had strange teeth, he had seen them, but he couldn’t focus on why they had seemed odd. Nothing about Nobutoshi’s face would stick in his head. “Uh.”

“Go on.” It was only two words, but those two words sounded remarkably like a threat.

“I want information- no, I  _ need  _ information. As much as I can get. With the truth, I can go so far in my career. Would you help me?” According to the book, Nobutoshi liked ambition. Uwasa was many, many things, but he was  _ definitely  _ ambitious. Still, was this going to work or would the demon before him reject him?

Nobutoshi grinned in a way that his brain couldn’t even begin to process. “That’s what you want? Cool! Be a catboy for it.”

Instantly, the tension in Uwasa’s body was replaced by bewilderment. “... Excuse me?”

“What’s so surprising? If you summoned me in particular, that should have been listed as a term. I live for catboys! Well, any sort of catperson, I’m not picky. If you want me to get information for you, you better be ready for a cute little tail.” The demon sounded more smug than any person had the right to be. Honestly, Uwasa was beginning to suspect that he just summoned an absolute weirdo.

“It’s an old copy.” He shot back, not sure why he felt the need to explain himself. He had certainly never felt the need to alter his body, but it wasn’t like demonic alterations went against the dress code. “So, that’s it? I just grow some ears and a tail?”

“And get pet.” Nobutoshi tacked on, because of  _ course  _ they wanted that too. “But that’s it. Cross my heart and everything. Hey, how about this? I’ll go get you a boon, show you what I can do.”

Without any warning, the demon was gone. A second later, and he was back, a manila folder in his clawed hand. “You ever hear about Medico?” 

“Yeah? They’re that drug company, right? Big Pharma.” 

“Wellll,” Nobutoshi drawled, holding out the folder, “they’re developing something new and revolutionary, but they’re doing it with some  _ nasty  _ animal testing. Talk about brutal! I have my own guesses on why, but here’s all you need to blow the whistle. Free of charge.” 

To anyone else, this folder wouldn’t have meant a thing. To him though, it was more like gold. “You can really get anything.” He breathed out the words, staring at what he held with awe. “I could let out a groundbreaking story every month! No, every week! I could get so much from this! I could do good!”

Uwasa whirled to face the demon before him, a wide smile on his face. “Catboy me up! I’m all in!” He exclaimed, no longer hesitant. Getting pet by a demon was nothing compared to this. His future had gone from soulsucking to painfully bright in the span of seconds. 

“I like your enthusiasm! ‘Course I will.” A clawed hand reached out towards him.

“Pleasure doing business with ya.” Uwasa beamed back, grasping it firmly. In comparison to his, the hand he was holding was incredibly small. 

A glint appeared in Nobutoshi’s eyes. If they had a color, it was one he had no name for and no context for understanding. The glint too was one he couldn’t fully interpret, but he had a few guesses. “Oh, don’t worry. The pleasure’s all mine.” 

That was all he could remember before the spike of pain had him crashing to the floor.

* * *

Uwasa woke up in a pile of salt. Snuffed out candles towered over him, further proof to what he had done. He sat up, thoughts only on the truth held tight in his hand.

So he was a catboy now. So what? Who gave a flying fuck? Right now, he had an article to write. 


End file.
